S4 not as good as an iPhone

[return_0]

Re: s4 not as good as an iPhone

- docking stations and chargers are limited. hardly any on the market

Why do you want a third-party charger? Those are just dangerous and provide no benefit.

- Kies, isyncr and other music transfer apps are awful. they freeze and crash, don't transfer what you want etc

Where are you transferring things to/from? What's wrong with just using your computer's file manager to transfer files?

- Google play is awful - I buy a song but it stays in the cloud and can't listen to it unless with good signal etc. so I have to go through extra steps to download to the s4 direct. why it doesn't do that by default I don't know.

Extra steps? All you do is tap the "pin" button.

- battery life is appalling

What settings do you have? Battery life will be appalling if you have Bluetooth, GPS, NFC, Wi-Fi, and mobile data on, and full brightness, etc.

new iPhone that has far better support in terms of ancillaries and download of music

I think you mean "new iPhone that does things in a different way than the GS4".

 

[CaptainBroflovski]

I have a Note 8.0. It is full of lag. Lag, lag, lag.

Well, that's touchwiz. Carbon rom solves all problems.

Posted by The Android Central app

 

[CaptainBroflovski]

A couple of points to address as I read through the thread:

-If you don't like the cloud thing, don't use it. Get the MP3 and put it on your phone. Now your music is offline with you. I don't know why people need to make things more difficult than they have to be.
-Great input OhAlfie. The adults are talking, so you hush.
-Android is not "laggy" as of 4.1 when they introduced "Project Butter" (as in the phone is meant to run butter smooth all the time.) That "well documented" stuff is years old, when it actually had merit. Now it doesn't. At least, well-done Android devices don't. Samsung seems to be too intent on shoving as much superfluous crap into their stuff as they can instead of addressing actual issues. This is not someone with an HTC One talking, this is someone who did a lot of research before dropping $730 (bought it outright) on a device.
-iOS is a good system if you want to get the phone out of the box and get up and running with it. Android is good if you're an endless tinkerer who needs to customize everything to your exact specifications. They're both good in their own right, depending on what you need them for. At the end of the day, they both get email, internet, play games and make calls. Pick what you like and then worry about you and not what everyone else picked. However...
-Don't lie. You cannot "customize the hell out of an iPhone" by jailbreaking it. That is ridiculous. You can customize it some more than usual. If you really want to customize, just get an android. Much less painful that way.
-If you want to tether, you need to pay for that. If you think the phone companies don't know what goes on on their own network, there is no hope for you. They will find out, thy will change your contract to include tethering and bill you for it, and when they do, don't get pissed off that they did it.

I will say Android has come a long way, the lag is nonexistent If you know what you're doing. However, this also comes down to apps. The Facebook app is terrible, it lags. Is that androids fault? No. And Samsung doesn't "shove as much superfluous crap into their stuff as they can instead of addressing actual issues." they have been addressing issues quickly and releasing updates. Touchwiz still has its issues (which is why I run custom), but it's not that bad. Samsung cares about the customers, that's why they try to fix any mistake made. The Samsung thing is the only thing I disagree with you on, otherwise you nailed everything spot on.

Posted by The Android Central app

 

[Google_Superuser]

Re: s4 not as good as an iPhone

I think we would see more people switch from Iphones if we saw more devices like the Nexus or even Google Edition Phone. They are the iphones of the Android world and are much easier to work than something with touchwiz and all of Samsungs custom apps.

 

[pappy53]

Re: s4 not as good as an iPhone

As for battery, my wife has an iPhone 5 and I have an S4 and the battery life we both get is pretty similar. There's nothing magical about the iPhone battery life.

Except that the iPhone 5 battery is about 1400 mah and the S4 is around 2600. So the i5 must be magical.

 

[CaptainBroflovski]

Re: s4 not as good as an iPhone

I think we would see more people switch from Iphones if we saw more devices like the Nexus or even Google Edition Phone. They are the iphones of the Android world and are much easier to work than something with touchwiz and all of Samsungs custom apps.

Usually yes, but most people won't be willing to drop $650 for a Google edition phone. It's a good idea, but these devices don't really appeal to the general public due to the price.

Posted by The Android Central app

 

[CaptainBroflovski]

Re: s4 not as good as an iPhone

Except that the iPhone 5 battery is about 1400 mah and the S4 is around 2600. So the i5 must be magical.

Bigger screen, more magic. The s4 has more magic than the iPhone so it needs a bigger battery =)

Posted by The Android Central app

 

[return_0]

Re: s4 not as good as an iPhone

Usually yes, but most people won't be willing to drop $650 for a Google edition phone. It's a good idea, but these devices don't really appeal to the general public due to the price.

Posted by The Android Central app

The iPhone and GS4 are also $650... and the Nexus 4 is only $199/$249.

 

[CaptainBroflovski]

Re: s4 not as good as an iPhone

The iPhone and GS4 are also $650... and the Nexus 4 is only $199/$249.

You have to remember, those are off contract prices and people don't buy phones like that usually. The only way to get a Google edition or Nexus phone is through the Play Store, and that can get pricy. People would much rather drop $200 on contract for a Samsung or HTC phone

Posted by The Android Central app

 

[return_0]

Re: s4 not as good as an iPhone

You have to remember, those are off contract prices and people don't buy phones like that usually. The only way to get a Google edition or Nexus phone is through the Play Store, and that can get pricy. People would much rather drop $200 on contract for a Samsung or HTC phone

Posted by The Android Central app

But when you buy the phone unlocked, you can get a much cheaper plan (example: $70 for unlimited everything compared to $150 for unlimited talk and text, 10GB data). So while most people don't phones unlocked, doing so will save you a huge heap of money.

 

[CaptainBroflovski]

Re: s4 not as good as an iPhone

But when you buy the phone unlocked, you can get a much cheaper plan (example: $70 for unlimited everything compared to $150 for unlimited talk and text, 10GB data). So while most people don't phones unlocked, doing so will save you a huge heap of money.

Your are correct, but it's a lot to pay upfront. It will save money in the long run, but it's a huge cost when you buy the phone. I had to drop $550 for a Galaxy when my iPhone got stolen and I had just begun my contract, it sucks and it's a real hit on the wallet for some people.

Posted by The Android Central app

 

[CrzyP]

Re: s4 not as good as an iPhone

I still buy music in iTunes but use Google play music manager to match and upload my library. In Google play you can "pin" your music to your phone storage. It allows you to play the music you select offline and it's all free unlike iTunes match.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Farish]

Re: s4 not as good as an iPhone

I have a Note 8.0. It is full of lag. Lag, lag, lag.

I have zero lag on my Note 8, it performs better than my S4.

 

[kitersin]

Re: s4 not as good as an iPhone

My partner and I upgraded from iPhone 5's to the S4 in late May. It honestly took me about one month to be 100% 'happy' with the phone (I was constantly comparing it to my iPhone). My partner was quicker to adapt to the S4 (in just days he was used to it, but he does not have his customised and does not really use any third party apps). I think what the OP and other new comers to Android need to remember is that the S4 (or any other Android device) IS NOT an iPhone.

To the OP - in regards to your comment "S4 not as good as an iPhone" - it is not that the S4 is not as good as the iPhone, it is that they are completely different and it will take time to adjust.

Our household is also completely Apple, but both my partner and I would not go back to using an iPhone at this time. I sold my iPad; when I use my son's iPad, it sort of feels weird after using Android. I am currently deciding which Android Tablet to purchase this weekend (I am tossing up between the Tab3 8", Note 8 and Nexus 2013).

One more thing. For those who are Mac users, I suggest NOT using Samsung Kies, and instead using Android File Transfer. Make sure you do not have both installed at the same time as Kies will conflict with AFT.

 

[pappy53]

Re: s4 not as good as an iPhone

Well my mid level lg doesn't lag at all. Why is that???? And the only reason I rooted was for tethering purposes.

Sent from my T-Mobile LG Escape using Tapatalk 2

An LG Escape with no lag? Lol, especially if it has ICS!

 

[pappy53]

Re: s4 not as good as an iPhone

Android is not "laggy" as of 4.1 when they introduced "Project Butter" (as in the phone is meant to run butter smooth all the time.) That "well documented" stuff is years old, when it actually had merit. Now it doesn't. At least, well-done Android devices don't.

According to what I have read, the only "non-laggy" Android phones are the newest Moto's (X, Ultra, Maxx), and possibly the Nexus 4. Everything else has lag, or you have to turn off all the features to make them smooth. This is still "well documented".
That being said, if Moto will fix the camera, I will have a X as my next phone.

 

[pappy53]

Re: s4 not as good as an iPhone

Bigger screen, more magic. The s4 has more magic than the iPhone so it needs a bigger battery =)

Posted by The Android Central app

Not enough magic that it should need twice the battery to be equal in battery life.

 

[Haalcyon]

Re: s4 not as good as an iPhone

I have zero lag on my Note 8, it performs better than my S4.

Really?! Is it the AT&T LTE version? Did you root it? Replace the ROM?

Sent from my humble S4

 

[Haalcyon]

Re: s4 not as good as an iPhone

According to what I have read, the only "non-laggy" Android phones are the newest Moto's (X, Ultra, Maxx), and possibly the Nexus 4. Everything else has lag, or you have to turn off all the features to make them smooth. This is still "well documented".
That being said, if Moto will fix the camera, I will have a X as my next phone.

I must be oblivious to the lag. I don't notice it on my S4. ...at all.

Sent from my humble S4

 

[pappy53]

Re: s4 not as good as an iPhone

I must be oblivious to the lag. I don't notice it on my S4. ...at all.

Sent from my humble S4

It's a crap shoot as far as lag on the S4 goes. Some have it, and some don't. But S4 lag is "well documented".